One-Night Stand
by Viola C. Murray
Summary: "The fact was that every women in the room would have left with Tony Stark if he asked them to, and he asked her. Plus, having some time in private to talk with her role model was more than tempting." Stark meets a crafty young lady during a boring party./TonyStarkxOC


**Disclaimer: **Tony Stark is not mine. Eloise Bell, however, belongs to me. I'm a French girl and this is my attempt to write a proper story in English. Hope you'll like it! Please review... if you want to. :)

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"I'm not interested in having sex with a billionaire."

"Then we should stop", he said, raising his eyebrows.

"You don't want to."

"Not yet."

She didn't want to stop either, by the way.

xxx

A red dress was the solution. She knew it. First of all, red suits dark haired women. The thing is known. Especially if they're pale – like her. Secondly, red was the main color of the Iron Man and he _was_ the one she wanted to meet that night. Well, Tony Stark, same thing. How great that would be. Talking to her role model, a genius. A scientist also well known for being a playboy and a sarcastic, arrogant character. She could deal with that. Herself had often a wry take on things.

"Here we go", she thought before entering the building where the party was taking place.

The room was full of happy few, rich men and beautiful women, all uninteresting. She had been to parties like that before and she remembered how boring they could become if you couldn't find the right person to talk – and possibly sleep – with.

After some steps she find herself in front of a mirror and glanced at her reflection. No doubt, the dress was perfect. So were the dark court shoes and the thick hair falling on her shoulders. Almost no make-up. Only a little black around her eyes. No jewels, but the overall effect was great. At least, she hoped it was.

Her eyes caught the silhouette of a man in the looking-glass, back to her, at the bar. A fifty-fifty chance. She walked towards the mini bar, passed by the man and stood in front of him.

She couldn't hold a smile. Tony Stark. Chance was with her.

"Interesting choice of color", he said, looking at her.

"I wish you would notice."

Her tone wasn't seductive, maybe a bit sarcastic. She just wanted to talk to him. But even for that he had to see her.

He was like she imagined him. Of course she had seen many pictures and videos of Stark, almost everywhere. The genius, the rich man, the playboy, he was wearing all those aspects on his face and demeanor. A man in black tuxedo who was staring at her with... quite impressive eyes, she had to admit it.

"I don't want to ask you silly questions or doing an article about you and your oh so beautiful last conquest.", she said seriously. "I'm not a journalist. I just want to speak to you, that's all. You're quite the role model here, so... I wanted to approach you."

Say what you think. Hypocrisy was expected in those parties and if she wanted to get herself noticed by Stark, she had to prove that a pretty red dress was not her only quality.

"What's your name?"

"Eloise Bell."

"I'm Tony Stark. Glad to meet you.", he answered, holding out a hand she shook with a manly assurance.

"Yeah, I know who you are.", she said. "That's why I'm talking to you."

"Obviously. How do you find the party?"

"Boring, except if you find someone interesting to talk with. It seems to be the case."

"The party is horrible indeed. What do you do with your life if you're not a journalist? I bet you're not a rich heiress either. Are you a young woman haunting receptions in search of a rich hypothetical husband?"

"I'm a writer. For the most part. And with all the admiration I have for you, Mr Stark, you're the last person I would ever marry."

He caught the smirk on her face, almost the reflection of his.

"What do you think about a date right now?", he asked with no forewarning.

"A date? We know each other for two minutes only."

"Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds, to be perfectly honest. So?"

Eloise smiled, which allowed her a very short moment of reflection. The fact was that every women in the room would have left with Tony Stark if he asked them to, and he asked her. Plus, having some time in private to talk with her role model was more than tempting. She was certain that the conversation would become interesting. _This is not about talking_, she thought.

Well, she couldn't say she didn't _want _the man. She did want him. Badly. And if Tony Stark and Eloise Bell were just a one night story, then she would take it. With pleasure, thank you.

"Alright."

The billionaire considered Eloise an instant before speaking again:

"We shouldn't stay longer. I have my car waiting outside. Unless you want to talk with some of the charming tedious hypocritical people, I highly doubt we can have fun here."

"I can't but agree."

She left the room full of engaging people with him and they walked towards the car. Which was, as expected, a limousine. Finding herself alone inside with Tony Stark was, on the other hand, a bit unsettling. What was she supposed to do? The hell with those questions. Enjoy and don't think. At least don't think _too much_.

"Is your house far from here?"

"Hardly twenty minutes. It goes incredibly fast, you'll see. By the way how do you know we're going to my house, Little Red Riding Hood?"

"Just an intuition."

"You read too many newspapers. Or saw too many videos on the internet filmed without me knowing it. Naughty girl."

Eloise had heard stories – and maybe read one paper indeed – and knew that Stark brought his conquests at home before leaving them in the morning. They were... sort of ordered to go away with the help of a pretty limousine. Yes, she knew perfectly how things happened.

She grinned and let her eyes fixed on the city. Tony was right, time went incredibly fast.

They arrived at his villa sooner than she expected. When they got off the car, she could just guess the shape of the house. Modern and, of course, immense. She bet unsuspected and beautiful things were hidden in some rooms.

The genius spoke into a loudspeaker and the door opened.

"Time to go to sleep, JARVIS.", he declared, apparently speaking to the void. "You won't be required until a certain hour tomorrow."

"Very well, sir.", answered a male, electronic voice.

The eyes of the young woman shone. She knew, for reading scientific articles sometimes – and Stark being her role model – that JARVIS was his supra clever, high-performance computer.

"There's a splendid view in my room looking at the sea. Shall we watch it?", Tony asked, very close to her.

"Shall we go to your laboratory first?"

"My laboratory?"

For the first time, the confident playboy looked truly disconcerted. Eloise seemed absolutely serious.

"I would like to see it, yes. I'm very interested in seeing the room where you created all your things. That's your genius that interests me. I don't care about... well, your money."

"Without my money, Lady Death, I couldn't have created half of the things you're thinking about."

"Then show me what you created with your incredible fortune."

Tony Stark watched the young lady and sighed.

"JARVIS, it seems that you're finally required for some more instants tonight."

Eloise couldn't help smiling. And she was sure that her eyes were twinkling like the one of a little girl when you announce to her that you're going to take her at the Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.

"Come with me.", Tony said.

She followed him downstairs where the famous laboratory was. When he opened the glass door and she got into the room, she remained silent.

"This is where I'm working. And this...", the scientist added, heading toward a table. "Is where I conceived the Iron Man. JARVIS, show it to the lady."

As soon as he said it, the hologram of Iron Man appeared in front of them. Eloise joined Tony and observed it attentively.

"You're still working on it, aren't you?", she asked.

"I am."

"Faster, easier, better..."

"Sexier.", he retorted.

"I suppose that's how it has to be, yes.", she admitted. "It's fascinating. Really. But."

"But what?"

She went near the hologram, looked at it and finally declared:

"If you want the moves of the armor to be more fluid, I think you have to remove this." She pointed a shoulder of the Iron Man. "A bit too big isn't it? I'm sure you can make it thinner and as resistant if you find the good material. You could move faster and be as protected as before."

She turned towards Tony and watched out for his reaction. He was looking at the hologram, analyzing her suggestion in every detail.

"That's not a bad idea, actually."

He reached out his hand and touched lightly the silhouette of the Iron Man to modify the shoulders. Precise and graceful. Like a dancer. Eloise remembered having heard it somewhere. He stood back and looked at the hologram before turning towards the woman.

"Where do you come from, deadly Miss Scarlett?"

Slowly, he moved his face close, very close to her and soon she felt his lips on hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, but signified to Eloise that more things were to come if she wanted – if they both wanted.

Finally, it was happening. From memory, no one ever kissed her like that before. Not with that insane blend of sweetness and intensity. She kissed him back and forgot ev...

"Wait", she spoke, breaking the kiss. "We can't do this. Basically, it's like sleeping with your teacher."

"But I'm not your teacher and you're not my student. You're a grown lady and you want me. I always suspected Little Red Riding Hood to be an incorrigible hypocrite towards the Wolf.", he added thoughtfully.

"You're my role model.", she objected.

"False argument. Let's go upstairs."

_Fuck off with that role model story._

"I follow.", she said.

But at the very moment they were about to leave the laboratory, she turned around.

"Even the computers. You created them, didn't you?"

"Of course.", he shrugged. So evident. "Why is it surprising you?"

"It's just as if I made the pens and the paper which enable me to write. What can I do to be like you?"

"Maybe one day you'll be rich enough to create your own typewriter.", he said matter-of-factly, climbing the stairs. "Good night, JARVIS!"

An instant later they were in his bedroom. A vast, beautiful place with a view – she saw it briefly – looking at the sea. And, of course, a bed.

The next kiss had nothing gentle. Eloise couldn't remember who initiated it. Her body crashed against Tony's and she aggressively grabbed him. The only thing she was conscious of was that she wanted that man more than she ever thought. He was Tony Stark and she was going to have him. Oh God, yes. And that, my dear, was enough to make her the most proud, arrogant and snarky woman of the universe.

The kiss ended and, her arms still around him, she watched him in the eyes for a second.

"I'm not interested in having sex with a billionaire."

"Then we should stop", he said, raising his eyebrows.

"You don't want to."

"Not yet."

She didn't want to stop either, by the way.

"Alright, I will sleep with you. But on two conditions. I don't want to wake up alone."

"And?"

"I want breakfast."

"You got it."

"You want me that much?"

"You have no idea."

He gave her a brief kiss and watched her again. No doubt, he wasn't lying.

"Tell me, we know each other for less than an hour, don't we?", he asked casually.

"Maybe forty-five minutes, yes.", she said before finding his lips once more.

She removed his – very beautiful, by the way – jacket from his shoulders.

"Do what you want with me and please, don't take the time to take off my clothes.", she murmured.

"You exposed your conditions, dear one, now it's time for me to give you mine", he answered, lying her on the bed and brushing her jawline with his lips. "I will take _all the time_ to take off your clothes."

xxx

Eloise was lying on the bed, her head on Tony's shoulder, while he negligently brushed her dark hair with his fingers.

"What did I just do?", she asked herself, but aloud and her question was heard.

"I think we can call it lovemaking."

"We are not in love."

"You're right. Sorry, I forgot that point."

Eloise raised her head to look at Tony's features. But she couldn't learn a thing about his thoughts. Her fingers touched his blue heart and she frowned.

"Holy hell, it's burning."

"Too much activities during the past hour."

Eloise grinned. She remembered her lips on the blue heart some moments ago. What a beautiful, beautiful invention. She leaned forward and kissed Tony.

"What was that for?", he asked, intrigued. "Is that a triumphal gesture or something?"

"It's a one-night stand, Tony. That means I can do what I want for a whole night."

xxx

The next morning, when she woke up, it took her a second to remember where and with who she was. The sunlight was penetrating the immense bay window of the bedroom. She rolled over and Tony Stark was on the bed, already dressed, watching her with curiosity and... something else she couldn't define.

"You're still here.", she simply said.

"I promised."

"And..."

Her eyes fell on a table full of very appetizing things.

"There is a breakfast!", she exclaimed. "When?"

"I ordered it when you were asleep. "

"Thank you."

She looked for her dress which was still on the floor and smiled. No one entered the room except... him.

"So you brought breakfast yourself?"

"Well, I went away an moment, praying the good Lord, if he exists which is not a certitude, that you wouldn't wake up and you didn't. Snow White of a new kind I guess."

She stood up and quickly put on her dress, shaking her hair and quickly brushing it with her fingers. Then she went to the table under Tony's amused look.

"Croissants! Wonderful. Tony Stark, you are the most arrogant, cynical creature in the whole world but you know how to do it with women."

"With you in particular, so it seems."

Eloise raised her head and realized that it was the first time he was seeing her in daylight, without the protection or seduction the night can give. A young, pale woman in a red dress, with her make up almost gone.

"You gave me your conditions. Here they are.", he said, sitting in front of her. "Bon appétit, mademoiselle."

Eloise took a carafe which contained hot milk and poured it in her cup.

"So you didn't tell me.", she said. "What can I do to be like you?"

"Seducing plenty of men?"

"Done."

"Have some genius ideas and learn everything you can, then do."

"I do."

"No wonder why we get along so well."

"No wonder why we'll never be together."

Tony smiled. He took his breakfast with her and they almost didn't talk. But it didn't seem to disturb them. Eloise watched the sea while eating her croissant and drinking hot chocolate. Just enjoying the moment and feeling the need to write again. Tony was probably thinking about ideas concerning the Iron Man or another of his inventions.

"I have to go.", she announced once she finished her breakfast. "Thank you. It was perfect, really."

She looked at him, wanting to add something. After all, he _gave_ her the best night of her life. But she couldn't find anything, even the most caustic retort. The last straw for a writer.

She stood up, found her shoes and her bag lost somewhere in the room. Then, she began to walk towards the main door of the house. She heard Tony standing up and walking towards her.

"There's a limousine outside if you want."

She turned back. He didn't seem to know what to say, either.

"Thank you.", she answered. "I think I'll just go home. And write. Not about you and even if I do, no names, no places mentioned..."

"Only pseudonyms, code names and all that literary stuff."

She was about to get out of the house when she suddenly changed her mind. She turned back, headed towards Tony Stark and kissed him. He didn't push the hand she put on his neck but responded to her. Something very soft, maybe a bit too passionate for two sarcastic people like them.

"Thank you for the night of lovemaking.", she said softly. "And..." She gave him a short kiss. "Thank you for the breakfast."

"Eloise."

"You remember my name. That must be a premiere.", she teased.

That time, she broke the embrace and went towards the door. Then she heard the half-serious, half-mocking voice of Tony behind her.

"Will you come back again, Miss Scarlett?"

"Never!"

Eloise crossed the doorway and disappeared in the daylight. Tony Stark smiled. He heard the grin in Eloise's voice.

He fixed the door a moment before going to his laboratory, whistling. He had plenty of ideas. And to begin with, he would change the Iron Man's shoulders. Right now.

**The end**

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That's all, folks! Please review, even if you didn't like it, I would be glad to read your opinion. :)


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